Aubrey slowly opened her eyes to see the paneled ceiling of her room. Sunlight was already coming through the window and she could see the dust floating in the air. Right now, the sight of it was calming and peaceful but there was no doubt in her mind that when Levi arrived, it would suddenly be considered the vermin of the earth and he would force her to scrub and clean until not a single speck of anything could be found.

It was Sunday.

The days had flown by in a flurry of activity. The expedition was growing ever nearer and everyone was made to work from dawn till dusk, with Sundays being the only exception.

Aubrey was absolutely exhausted, not only from her intensive training sessions but also from her late night walks with Levi.

Each night, he'd shown up at her door and, each night, Aubrey had continued to teach him about the stars. She was surprised by the rate at which he had picked up the skill. Even though it had only been a few days, Levi understood the basics and could probably find his way out of a desperate situation if he needed to. He was very perceptive, though he never showed it off.

But, even with his fast learning, it would still be months before Aubrey would label him a true master. After that, he would be almost as skilled as her.

Almost.

Aubrey smiled to herself as she sat up, shaking the sleep from her eyes. Her nightmares hadn't been nearly as bad the past few days and she'd long ago found out the reason why. The more time she spent with Levi, the less intense her dreams were. The edges were blurred and there was a haze over the whole image. Most of the time, Aubrey was able to recognize that she was dreaming, which made the pain of rewatching her friends' deaths just slightly more bearable.

Aubrey ran her fingers through her hair as he stood. She'd woken early enough that she'd probably have enough time to get ready and straighten things out a bit before Levi showed up. But, knowing him, he'd probably show up earlier than the nine o'clock start time they'd decided on.

With a groan, Aubrey stood and readied herself for his arrival, running to the bathroom to wash up and then back to her room to put on the set of casual clothing that she'd washed the night before. She was still putting off doing the whole load, though she was fairly sure that Levi would force her to do it at some point during the day. Her dirty pile was definitely the most noticeable mess in her room.

After taking a glance in the mirror to make sure she looked at least half put together, Aubrey moved on to sorting out what she could. But not before she let her hair fall down and out of its usual ponytail. She always kept it up for training and she'd fallen into the habit of wearing it the same way on the weekends. But, it was her day off and there was no reason she shouldn't wear it down. Maybe Levi would like it.

Aubrey got to work with the basics of cleaning, starting by stripping her bed. But, she hadn't gotten more than the first sheet off before she heard a knock.

At first, she felt an overwhelming sense of panic. She'd expected Levi to be a bit early but it was only seven thirty! He was an hour and a half early!

However, Aubrey's panic soon shifted to curiosity and confusion as she realized that the knock hadn't come from the back door. Instead it had come from her front door, the door that connected her to the rest of the barracks. There was no way it was Levi; no man would ever be let into the women's living quarters.

Aubrey slowly made her way to the door, feeling a bit cautious. She had no idea who would be calling on her on a Sunday.

Finally, she cracked open the door before fully pulling it back and open.

"Isabel?"

Aubrey felt a wave of realization rush over her as she remembered the promise she'd made her friend. Their walk to the Mess Hall seemed like it had happened ages ago.

"Can I come in?"

Aubrey's shock started to wear off and a teasing smile came to her face.

"Sure. Are you lonely?"

Isabel waved a hand, walked past Aubrey, and went straight into her room without a second glance.

"Pfft. More like bored-"

Isabel's jaw dropped to the floor and Aubrey could have sworn that her eyes popped out of her skull a bit.

"Is this… you… how do you… has…"

Aubrey raised an eyebrow. She pretty much knew what Isabel was blabbering about but she wanted to hear it straight from her lips.

"Yes?"

Isabel turned to look at her, her eyes the size of dinner plates.

"This is your room?!"

Aubrey nodded and chuckled. Apparently, Levi's cleanliness had rubbed off on Isabel.

"Yes, who else's room would it be?"

Isabel whirled around, attempting to take in all of the clutter that made up Aubrey's room.

"Has Big Bro seen this?"

Aubrey sighed and made her way to the desk in the corner. After moving a few piles of dusty books and pushing some trash out of the way, she was able to pull out the chair and set it next to the bed.

With a wave of a hand, she gestured for Isabel to sit. After trying to hide her disgusted expression and wiping away the leftover dust, Isabel followed her direction and sat down.

Aubrey took a seat on the edge of her bed and let out a huff as the mattress creaked beneath her.

"Yes, he's seen it and he insisted on coming over today to teach me how to properly clean it."

Isabel sputtered and Aubrey watched as the girl's face drained of color.

"He's coming over here?!"

Aubrey shrank back. She hadn't been expecting Isabel to react so loudly to the news.

"Yes… is there something wrong with that?"

Isabel slumped over, her head hanging toward the floor.

Aubrey waited, hoping that she hadn't broken her friend.

Finally, Isabel murmured something so quietly that Aubrey almost didn't hear.

"He didn't say anything about making Furlan and I help, did he?"

Aubrey shook her head and had to fight hard to suppress a laugh.

"Is that what you're worried about?"

Isabel glanced up at her, surprised by Aubrey's lightheartedness. She obviously didn't know what a day of cleaning with Levi was like.

Aubrey crossed her legs and leaned back.

"No, he didn't say anything about you two. I'm pretty sure it's just going to be us. And, if you're that worried about it, I'll make sure he doesn't rope you into it."

Isabel shook her head, her eyebrows furrowing in what looked like confusion.

"Does he really listen to you?"

The question caught Aubrey off guard and she paused for a second, thinking back.

After a moment, though, she was back in the present and a small chuckle escaped her lips.

"I wouldn't say that he listens to me. It's more like he begrudgingly accepts my begging."

Isabel's lips twitched into a mischievous smile.

"You beg him?"

Aubrey did her best to hold back the blush that threatened to rise to her cheeks, though she was pretty sure that she failed miserably.

"Well… I… I annoy him, that's for sure. He's easy to persuade if you bug him enough."

Aubrey's cheeks burned even brighter when she heard a huff of air come from Isabel.

"Well, he never does what I ask, not even when I beg for hours."

Aubrey suddenly saw an opportunity to reflect the embarrassment off of herself and onto her friend.

"And what, exactly, made you 'beg for hours'?"

Isabel glanced away, but to Aubrey's surprise, it didn't seem to be out of embarrassment. Instead, Isabel's eyes turned to the ceiling and a fond expression covered her features as a memory resurfaced.

"When we were back in the Undergr-er-I mean our hometown…"

Isabel paused, sneaking a look at Aubrey to see if she'd put together what she'd almost revealed. Little did Isabel know that Aubrey already knew all about their life in the Underground. But, to keep things simpler, Aubrey feigned confusion and let the moment pass. It would be easier for Isabel if she thought that Aubrey was clueless when it came to her past life.

Hesitantly, Isabel restarted her story.

"Back in our hometown, we would go to the market every Thursday. Ya know, for supplies and food and stuff."

Aubrey nodded, prompting Isabel to continue.

"And there was a jewelry vendor there. She actually had some pretty nice stuff, which was surprising considering that the market was usually riddled with thugs. Who knows how that stuff didn't get stolen."

Aubrey hummed in acknowledgement. She could imagine that any market in the Underground was a disaster waiting to happen.

"Anyway, there was a necklace that I really wanted. I knew it was too expensive but I tried to get Levi to buy it for me anyway."

Aubrey smiled. She could see where this was going.

"He said no, of course. I begged him for hours, long after we'd left the market. He was definitely annoyed. He told me to shut up every time I asked."

Aubrey nodded. That sounded accurate.

"After that, every time we went to the market, I would beg him and every time he would tell me to put a sock in it and quit."

Isabel paused, turning to look at Aubrey with a smirk.

"I didn't."

Aubrey snorted and shook her head. Of course Isabel wouldn't give up. She wasn't the type.

"But, one day, when I was just about to pass out on my bed, Levi came in and just plopped the necklace on my pillow. He mumbled something about leaving him alone and then… he just left."

Aubrey raised her eyebrows. "He left?"

Isabel nodded as what Aubrey could only describe as a look of pure love and admiration crossed the girl's face.

Aubrey smiled. She was happy that the three of them had formed some kind of family even in the depths of the Underground.

"And do you still have the necklace?"

Isabel perked up and her hands reached for her neck, pulling on a chain that Aubrey had always failed to notice. Apparently, Isabel had kept the pendant hidden behind her shirt.

But, as the necklace was finally revealed to Aubrey, she felt her eyes nearly pop out of their sockets.

It was a beautifully crafted piece of jewelry and Aubrey was amazed that such a thing could ever have existed in the Underground. A golden crescent moon was the centerpiece of the pendant, its outer edges encrusted with small diamonds. The piece shined and glittered so brightly that Aubrey thought it would blind her. But the moon had a partner. Dangling in the curve of the crescent was another diamond, except this one was big enough to have served as the stone of a wedding ring. It was masterfully cut and polished and it's clarity was astounding.

"Oh my god, Isabel!"

Aubrey's hand reached out to touch the jewel but she stopped short. She was almost too afraid to get close to it. It felt like the slightest touch would shatter its delicacy.

"I know!"

Aubrey stared open mouthed at the necklace.

"How… how could Levi afford this?"

Isabel's eyes turned downwards. Her expression softened and Aubrey could see a far away look in her eyes.

"I wondered the same thing. When I first asked him to buy it for me, I knew the price was way out of range for us. We had enough money to live comfortably but we weren't rich by any means. And this necklace… well, it was definitely a luxury item."

Aubrey waited, anxious for her to continue.

"Big Bro must have saved up every extra penny he had in order to buy this for me. He probably didn't get anything for himself for months."

Aubrey could see the tears hidden in Isabel's eyes. In fact, Aubrey almost felt like crying herself.

Gently, Aubrey leaned forward to place a hand on Isabel's shoulder.

"He must love you very much, Isabel."

Isabel nodded, trying to control the tightness in her throat.

"Yeah, he does."

Aubrey could feel the heaviness in the air and she quickly decided that it wouldn't do. Days off should be fun and exciting, they had enough seriousness and gloom during work hours.

"But, it seems to me that your story is proving the opposite of your original point, Isabel. Begging did work for you."

Isabel scoffed and rolled her eyes. "Only after I was at it for months! You just ask and immediately receive!"

Aubrey shook her head. "Whatever. Your story still didn't work."

Isabel scrunched her face up and stuck out her tongue.

Aubrey laughed and heard the sound echo around the room.

When she was finally done giggling, Aubrey instantly noticed the change in the atmosphere. Isabel's expression had turned serious and her eyes were boring into Aubrey's head.

Aubrey had seen that look too many times before. Isabel was going to ask a question… and it was probably going to be a question that she didn't want to answer.

"Aubrey?"

Aubrey tried to stay calm. She could guess what Isabel was going to address. She was surprised she hadn't mentioned it when she first walked in the room.

"Why is your room split in half?"

Aubrey gulped. She didn't want to give up the answer to this question. Not to Isabel, not to anybody… not even Levi… yet.

"I'll tell you someday. For now, just know that I keep to my space and that it's very important to me that the other side remain undisturbed."

Aubrey could see the curiosity that burned behind Isabel's eyes but she was grateful that the girl kept her mouth shut.

A small silence filled the air as the two of them adjusted to their conversation. The air had turned tense and Aubrey wasn't having it.

In an attempt to lighten the mood, Aubrey arched an eyebrow and leaned back.

"Well, tell me some more stories about your appalling begging abilities."

Isabel instantly perked up, a barely restrained smile coming to her face and an eye roll following not long after.

"Oh, shut up!"

The two of them carried on that way, sharing stories and giggling in the morning light. Aubrey was having so much fun that she forgot to keep an eye on the clock.

She was only reminded of the time when the second knock of the day came from the back door.

Aubrey shot up, panic pulsing through her veins with every passing beat.

"Isabel! You have to go! He's here!" Aubrey whispered with an unsettled urgency. She couldn't believe that she'd been so inattentive.

"Shoot!"

Isabel was on her feet in a second, grabbing the jacket that was folded across the back of her chair.

"Remember, you promised to stop him if he tries to make me clean."

Isabel stopped the door just as Aubrey had been about to shut her out.

"Okay, whatever! Just go!"

Isabel flashed a bright smile and then her features turned to her all-too-familiar mischievous look.

"Alright, thanks. Have fun on your date!"

With that Isabel let the door slam shut and Aubrey was left alone to deal with the burning in her face. She had to calm down or Levi would notice. He was too perceptive for his own good.

Aubrey slapped her cheeks and shook her head, trying desperately to forget what Isabel had just said. That girl was going to get it later.

Aubrey tried to steady her hand as it wrapped around the door handle. She was nervous. She was actually nervous. Why?

She'd spent countless hours with Levi, so why was this one, entirely ordinary cleaning day getting to her?

Aubrey turned the knob and flung open the door, tingles running up and down her spine at the sight of Levi before her. He was as stunning as ever.

"Hi." Aubrey's greeting was a shuddering mess and she cringed internally. There was no doubt that Levi would be able to sense her unexplainable jitters.

"May I come in?"

Aubrey inhaled sharply but stepped back, swinging the door open wider so that Levi could pass through.

"Oh, yes, of course."

With a stride too graceful to be real, Levi strode into the room and Aubrey held her breath as his eyes scanned the space.

She could clearly see the disgust on his face but he said nothing. Maybe he'd gotten sick of telling her how horrifically messy she was.

Aubrey waited, feeling the tension in her shoulders grow nearly unbearable as the silence grew. She was sure that he could see the line down the middle of the room, the dust that covered the entirety of the right side. But, he didn't comment.

Finally, he spoke, and Aubrey released the breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding.

"I need water and soap. I assume I shouldn't go strolling the halls of the girls' dormitory."

Aubrey stepped forward, her hand letting go of the door she'd been gripping as it loudly shut behind her.

"O-Oh, you're probably right. I'll go get it."

Aubrey crossed the room, her heart nearly stopping as she passed Levi. Why was she so nervous?

Aubrey took a deep breath as she reached the other side of her bedroom. With as much normalcy and calmness as she could muster, she cracked open the door but stopped short. There was still something that she had to address… something she was very surprised that Levi hadn't mentioned the second he walked in.

"Um… Levi?"

"Hmm?"

Aubrey turned to see him scanning the space, his eyes scrutinizing the very detail she was worried about.

"We.. um… we can only clean the left side of the room, okay? The side that I sleep on."

Levi turned to her, his expression growing dark and thoughtful simultaneously.

"Are you going to tell me why?"

Aubrey shot him a small smile.

"Someday. But not today."

With that, Aubrey stepped out and headed to get the supplies she needed. All the while, she was too afraid to think of what awaited her when she returned.

HELLO. I AM BACK. I AM NOT DEAD.

I know that this chapter is SUPER late and that it's been almost a month since I last posted but I'm trying, okay? I've been super busy lately… I work six days a week and my days off are usually filled with running errands. BUT, I have not given up on this story, ESPECIALLY since we are almost to the good part. There's one more chapter to go before we get to the expedition which is the part of this story that I originally envisioned when I first came up with the idea for this fic.

Anyway, I can't make any promises about when the next chapter will be up but I CAN tell you that I have not given up on writing. THIS FIC WILL BE FINISHED EVEN IF IT'S THE LAST THING I EVER DO.

Leave some comments to motivate me so that I find the will to write after I get home from work at night. Y'all are great cheerleaders :)

THANK YOU FOR READING MY STORY. I LOVE YOU. BYE.